Teams overperform and underperform each year. It happens for a number of reasons. When looking at the average ranking of these teams' previous five recruiting classes, here are the five surprising teams inside and outside of the AP Top 25 Poll.
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PROGRAMS SURPRISINGLY INSIDE OF THE TOP 25
5-year average recruiting ranking: 57.4
Current AP Poll ranking: 18
Key contributors: D'Ernest Johnnson, Quinton Flowers
WASHINGTON STATE
WASHINGTON
5-year average recruiting ranking: 40.2
Current AP Poll ranking: 6
Key contributors: Dante Pettis, Myles Gaskin, Jake Browning
TCU
PROGRAMS SURPRISINGLY OUTSIDE OF THE TOP 25
FLORIDA STATE
5-year average recruiting ranking: 4.8
Key contributors: Auden Tate, James Blackman
LSU
5-year average recruiting ranking: 5.8
Key contributors: Danny Etling
TENNESSEE
5-year average recruiting ranking: 12.2
Key contributors: John Kelly, Quinten Dormady
OREGON
5-year average recruiting ranking: 21.6
Key contributors: Royce Freeman, Justin Herbert
MISSISSIPPI STATE
5-year average recruiting ranking: 26.2
Key contributors: Aeris Williams, Nick Fitzgerald